Team Member Recognition

Team Member of the Month:  May 2025

Maintaining personal appearance is vital for overall health and well-being – especially those in a hospital setting. The May Team Member of the Month truly exemplifies the heart of patient-centered care by understanding that each patient’s needs are unique. Kayla Cress is a Cosmetologist at Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center (NMPRC) and is dedicated to ensuring patients are clean and comfortable because it has positive impact on recovery by boosting self-esteem.

Recently, on one of Kayla’s scheduled days off, she was made aware of a new patient that was admitted to NMPRC with severely matted hair. The mat had formed into a large ball on the side of the patient’s head which was inflicting pain and discomfort for the individual. The patient was willing to shave their head due to the severity of the mat but Kayla voluntarily came in to the facility to assist in detangling the extreme matting. Kayla worked over an hour carefully detangling the mat to preserve the patients comfort, dignity, and self-esteem.

One of Kayla’s coworkers said, “She turned what could have been a distressing and traumatic experience into one of kindness and respect. Her willingness to give her time and talents on a day off speaks volumes about her character and the values she brings to the team.”

Kayla has worked at NMPRC for roughly 6 years. Congratulations Kayla!

Team Member of the Month:  April 2025

Ensuring that the individuals DMH cares for live their best lives is a vital piece of the department’s mission, and it’s the right thing to do!

Harper Otero, Support Care Professional at Higginsville Habilitation Center (HCC), always comes to work with a positive attitude and is a great team member and leader. He has worked in the HHC Opportunities for Placement and Enrichment (HOPE)  Program for almost four years and makes the residents and his team members feel truly appreciated in their roles.

To help residents live their best lives, Harper plans various fun activities in the day hall for anyone who wants to participate. Each day Harper brings fresh energy to his plans. He enjoys organizing karaoke for those that love to sing, as well as leading activities such as corn hole, disk frisbee and much more.

Harper also trains new hires and continues to check-in throughout their shifts to see if they have any questions or concerns. One of his coworkers said, “He has grown in not only his confidence as an employee and team player, but also a leader.”

Congratulations, Harper!

Team Member of the Month:  March 2025

Technology is vital in today’s world. It is designed to solve problems, meet needs, improve efficiency, and can simplify daily tasks to help team members do more with less effort. The March Team Member of the Month is instrumental in maintaining all aspects of technology at Fulton State Hospital (FSH).

Jarvis Spencer is a Technology Services Architect and provides the oversight for technology at FSH. His duties include repairing, upgrading, and reviewing new technology. He also works closely with the facility leadership, the Office of Administration - Information Technology Services Division and the Facilities Management Design and Construction Division, as well as outside vendors when needed. He has earned a strong, positive reputation with his peers and is seen as the “go to” person when questions about technology arise. Currently, he is working on the facility’s new scheduling and time clock system to be implemented in 2026.

In addition, Jarvis continues to improve his technical skills and is open to all trainings. One of his greatest strengths is his willingness to help any team member with any project.

One of his coworkers said, “Jarvis has spent his entire career at FSH and it shows! His knowledge and dedication makes him an unmatched resource that we are so blessed to have. He assists with all the major technology at our facility, but you will also often find him training and assisting our front-line supervisors and staff in whatever technology struggles they have.”

Jarvis has worked at FSH for about 21 years. Congratulations Jarvis!

Team Member of the Month: February 2025

The ability to turn potentially negative interactions into positive experiences greatly impacts customer satisfaction within any organization. The February Team Member of the Month has done this for 18 years, assisting individuals calling about the Substance Awareness Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) within the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH).

Lisa Stevens, a Senior Office Support Assistant, supports SATOP in many ways but one of her main duties is to answer the SATOP phone line, which can be 40-50 calls a day. Many of these calls are challenging or confrontational due to the caller’s urgency to meet requirements to have their driving privileges reinstated. Lisa goes above and beyond her duties to help. She will often contact the Department of Revenue, on the callers behalf, to save them hours of time to get all the information needed to have the individual's license reinstated. Typically this includes things like a reinstatement fee, proof of high risk insurance, ignition interlock, and sometimes a compliance letter required for the court.

Recently, one of the callers expressed her appreciation for Lisa by taking the time to thank her personally via email which included a photo of the caller smiling and holding up her license. The individual said, “I wanted to send a personal thank you for all your help during this process. Your patience with my stressed out emotions did not go unappreciated or acknowledged. You were never short tempered with me and you treated me with respect. You never once made me feel as though I wasn’t worthy of your time or my rights to drive based on my offense. The system is honored and blessed to have you as a member on the team. You are a strong and respectable link in their chain and they need more like you! Thank you for being so amazingly supportive and helpful. I appreciate you to the fullest!”

Callers don’t often take the time to reach out to a state agency to express their appreciation for a staff member’s work. Over the years, feedback from callers has been consistently positive of Lisa’s work. Congratulations Lisa!

Team Member of the Month: January

Forensic psychiatric nursing can be a complex job; navigating the balance of medical aspects with psychiatric illness. The January Team Member of the Month does an outstanding job of caring for some very challenging patients at Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center (NMPRC). Rebecca “Beckie” Johnson is a Registered Nurse in the Forensic Psychiatric Nursing Unit and her attention to detail led to saving a life.

Recently, a patient sustained some minor injuries during recreation time, but Beckie took the patient’s pain seriously and ran some tests. She ruled out life-threatening issues including an appendicitis. Eventually Beckie advocated for the patient to receive emergency treatment at the local hospital. It was soon discovered at the hospital that the patient needed surgery. Beckie’s thorough assessment and recommendations led to a good outcome for this patient, who is now doing well.

One of her coworkers said, “Beckie is truly a role model.  She is eager to help her peers and patients promptly in any way she can. She is enthusiastic and has a growth mindset, while also maintaining a level of professionalism.”

Congratulations Beckie!